


Paradise Project

by advaba (indigo_blue)



Category: Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, High School, Near Future, One Shot, Written for a Class
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-23
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-01-02 10:29:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1055708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigo_blue/pseuds/advaba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slightly AU, this is a look into the future of Atwood's universe if Crake's genetic engineering had continued and children created like the Crakers were the norm.<br/>This story - Sidney finds himself studied in history class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paradise Project

**Author's Note:**

> (Again, this is a repost because I was being fussy and nostalgic about usernames)

Paradise

Sidney sank further into his seat at the back of the classroom. He always hated when they did this in History lessons. Just from looking at the pages of the textbook which they were going to use today, he could sense that awkward feeling coming in and held his breath in the hope it would go away.

“The first genetically engineered organism,” the teacher read, “was created in 1973 by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen. They created, by introducing genes from the toad _Xenopus laevis,_ an antibiotic resistant strain of an _E. coli_ bacterium. This started the way towards the technology we rely on today.”

Sidney privately disapproved of her wording. If people's parents didn't use technology, they could still have children like him. It was unnecessary, just avoiding the issue to say that they should rely on it. He liked the image, however, of everyone in the room having similarities to an _E. coli_ bacterium, except for him.

He zoned out, started flicking through the textbook. He looked through at the pictures of mice glowing in the dark, the GM crop riots, people using artificial hands, the first cyborgs. His favourite photo was of 2025, the first biotech robots.” He started to listen again just in time to hear the teacher ask “Can anyone think of an example of why we use genetic engineering?”

He waited for the first pair of eyes to turn to him. There were a few examples conveniently sat in his seat, if Miss would only be brave enough to say so.

This lesson would kick it all off again, whatever the teacher said or left out of the class. Out on the playground they'd tell him he was unnatural. He'd tell them they needed to look up what that word meant. He'd be countered by an electronic voice: 'Natural:adjective. In accordance with the nature of, or circumstances surrounding, someone or something: felt instinctively to be morally right and fair'. He'd argue further, citing the old time definition of 'Not caused by humankind' but secretly agree; it was unfair, unnaturalism; a hell of a burden to land your kid with.

“To prevent inherited diseases – like diabetes or sight loss,” offered Jimmy, first hand in the air as usual. Somebody coughed, and there came the first few looks at his glasses. They probably thought they were being very discrete.

The doctors wouldn't let him have the eye surgery until he was eighteen. Even though it was nothing new, his eyes were still changing in puberty and it wouldn't be safe. He'd had this explained to him by his parents, by doctors, many times.

So Sidney was counting down. Four more years and then he'd get it fixed. A small consolation, the most visible difference out of the way. At this age, at least until they could sign for surgery themselves, children showed up their parents' fantasies. Most classes had a boy who'd been designed with one of the fastest athletes in mind, a beautiful girl whose mother had obviously held dreams of becoming a model. You also got the occasional kid with cat ears or something strange like that. Apparently, Sidney had been taught, when the technology had first been adapted so people would be able to use this on a wide scale, they'd been surprised by the demand from vegan parents for children who would need to eat only plants. Now almost anything was acceptable.

Sidney, however, wore his family history's failures on his face. And a few more, deeper down.

“To prevent personality flaws, such as alcoholism or violence,” suggested Georgia. The teacher nodded proudly. Sidney held his breath some more, a good luck charm.

Realistically, he wasn't likely to ever catch up with the others. They all had 20/8 vision, cochlear implants, muscle enhancements. Nobody would ever employ him over them, he knew. While this was the case, he just wouldn't ever be able to afford to have everything redone.

“Genetic engineering means we have freedom,” the teacher continued saying, “to express ourselves with body modifications and improvements; different colours, different skin, even animal-like features.” Lucinda Price, who last week had been begging her mother to let her colour her skin bright orange, nodded furiously. 

There wasn't a lot of motivation for Sidney not to feel bitter. Adolescent rebellion had been tamed with hormone pills – zombie drugs, people nicknamed it - which Sidney took, but these were assumed to be another thing that his family eschewed, or couldn't afford. Through the nocebo effect in the eyes of other people in the school, he was a delinquent.

He put up his hand. “We need genetic engineering because it means people are enhanced, healthier, stronger, less harm to others, ethically superior and just generally better people.”

Miss pretended not to notice the sarcasm in his voice. “Thank you, Sidney.”

 


End file.
